Panel construction for signboards



Nov. 11, 1930. J. P. SPECK 1,781,558

PANEL CONSTRUCTION FOR SIGNBOARDS Filed Nov. 17. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l iQNEY Nov. 1 l, 1930. J. P. SPECK PANEL CONSTRUCTION FOR SIGNBOARDS Filed Nov. 17. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I I a I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I I I I r I I I I a n INVENTO R J] 2476 Patented Nov. 11, 1930 TES JOHN'P. SPEGK, OF TIFFIN, OHIO PAT surnames PANEL CONSTRUCTION FOR SIGN'BOAR-IDS Application filed November 17, 1927. Serial No. 233,998.

This invention relates to metal sign boards, and particularly to metallic panels therefor.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a sign board with panels which are interchangeable and removable, and further to provide panels which may be readily assembled and then inserted within the sign board either'in single or multiple sections. j V

A further object is to provide a reinforced panel construction in which the panels have tongueancl groove engagement with each other and in which-the lateral edges of adjacent panels are held in close engagement by bolts or equivalent means so as to provide a panel which, when bolted together with other panels, will give a solid or smooth I poster surface free from all projections and which is wind and rain-proof.

. Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

' My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of asign board having my panels applied thereto; 7

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of one of the panels; I

Figure 3 is a transverse'sectional View of a panel; I

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse section showing the manner in which the sides of adjacent panels are held in engagement with each other.

In Figure 1, I have illustrated a supporting sign board and frame designed to support metalpanels constructed in accordance with my invention. The frame consists of the wood or metal supports 1, there being a pair. of thcsesupports at each end, the pair ofsupports converging upward and being united by a gusset plate. Supported by these supports 1 is the upper longitudinally extending horizontal member 2, and attached to the lower ends of the supporting frames is the lower horizontal member 3. These members support between them the longitudinal stringers 13 which may be made of metal, wood or any other suitable mateing the panel are extended around a reinrial, and the forwardlegsof the supporting frames 1 support the members 14 against which the panels rest. Longitudinally extending removable beadsor cleats 4 and 5 hold the panels 6 inplace. his to be under- 13 stood that while I have illustrated in Figure 1' a panel supporting structure of a character suitable to support the panels which form the particular subject-matterof my invention, I do not wish to be limited to this as'other sign board constructions or frames might be used.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that each panel 6 is formed of metal,'this metal being folded over, as at 15, at its upper and lower ends, these flanges 15 soformed extending toward the rear face of the panel. The lateral marginsof the sheet metal formforcing channel iron 7 as shown most'clearly in Figure 3, so as to snugly embrace the channel iron, leaving a web of the sheet metal to extend across-the space defined by the flanges of the channel iron. The sheetmetal between these flanges at one side of the panel is forced inward, as at 8, so as to provide a recess orlongitudinally extending groove, and upon .the opposite side of the panel the sheet, metal which extends across thewebfaceof the channeliron 7 is pressed outward to'form'the longitudinally extending tongue 9. I I

When the sheet metal panels. are disposed in engagement witheach other, as illustrated in Figure 4;, the tongue :9 enters the channel I See as to form a tongue and groove joint between the two panels. Each channelironis apertured and the sheet metal which extends around thechannel iron isEalso coincidently aperturedfor the passage of the bolt 10. This bolt is slotted and adapted to'receive in the .slot a wedge 12. A Washer 11 is disposed between the wedge 12 andthe sheet metal ex tending acrossithe face of the channel iron, as shown in. Figure 4. By thismea-ns it will be seen that the'itwo adjoining edges of the panels be brought together and then held in their abvuttecl and aligned position by means of the :bolt 10. By forcing in on the wedge 12, the pressure exerted upon the adjoining marginal portions of the panels may be increased to any desired amount.

B this construction the faces of the panels are brought flush with each other. This is du to the fact that the tongue 9 and the recess 8 are both triangular in form and act to center themselves upon each other, and when so centered the two outer faces of the sheet metal panels are in exact alignment and the joint between the two panels is extremely tight and close so that the efiect is given of a panel having a perfectly smooth poster surface which is void of nails, rivets or seams andwhich is free from all projections and which is wind and rain-proof. This construction, however, permits two panels to be readily removed or disengaged from each other by knocking out the wedge 12 and removing the bolts 10. Thus the panels maybe transposed or one panel substituted for another, or anumber of connected panels removed and other previously connected panels insertedin the frame oflthe sign board. 7 j

These panels may be used on all metal or all wood sign board frames and may be used to replace defective or worn panels in old frames. Not only does the tongue and groove connection act to force the panels into exact flushrelation with each other, but they pre vent the passage of wind or rainthrough the oint. Preferably the bolts 10 are galvanized soft lugbolts, while the key or Wedge 12 is of steel. The sheet metal, of course, is tobeof any suitable gauge or thicknessand is preferably coated with zinc or someother preparation which will retard or prevent corrosion. Preferably the sheet metal will entirely enclose the steel reinforcing channel irons, though I do not wish to be limited to this. While I have illustrated the use of steel reinforcing members, it will be obvious that wood-reinforcing members might be used in place of the channel irons 7 I do notwish to be limitedto the exact de-- tails of construction illustrated, except as indicated in the appended claims,

I claim "1. A panel for sign boards formed of sheet metal, reinforcing members'disposed at opposite margins of the panel upon the rear facethereoflthe'metalof the panel beingextended entirely around said reinforcing members, the" sheet metal opposite one of said reinforcing members and on the exterior face thereof being'formed with a V-shaped tongue 7 and the metal on the outer face of the other reinforcing element being formed to provide a corresponding Veshaped groove, said tongue and grooveactingto center the panels with relation to each other so thatthe outer faces :of the panels are exactly flush, the reinforcingelements and the sheet metal surrounding the'samebeing apertured for the passage of "bolts iextending parallel to the face of. the paniz" 2. A sheet metal panel, reinforcing channel members disposed at each lateral margin of the panel, each channel having one of its flanges disposed against the inner face of the panel, the margins of the panel being folded around the channels and extending across the space'defined by the flanges thereof, the sheet metal so folded around the channels on one margin of the panel being formed to provide an outwardly projecting tongue and-on the other margin of the panel being formed to provide an inwardly projecting recess, the. channels and said metal being apertured for the passage of a bolt to hold adjacent panels together.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN P. SPECK. 

